Food Box

The joy of mochi

by Paul Rausch | Jun 14, 2006

With the current heat wave smacking us down, we turn to the only culinary salvation we can find–ice cream encased in delectable glutinous rice known as mochi. But this is not your obasan’s shogatsu seasonal delight. Not even close. For our mochi, we still head to Bubbies, an iconic Honolulu landmark famous for its desserts and homemade ice creams. A faded ‘Best of Honolulu Weekly’ sticker adorns the doorway of this hobbit-sized shop across from the Varsity Theatre. Shoots, we should just go ahead and give them the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ for their contribution to our food chain. Oprah dreams of mochi, too, as her June mag’s ‘O List’ gives props to Bubbies mochi with flavors ranging from green tea to passion fruit and lychee to the Four Mochi of the Apocalypse–chocolate espresso, chocolate mint, chocolate vanilla, and chocolate peanut butter. But don’t shy away from the specials that show up on the colorful chalk board behind the counter, or you’ll miss what must certainly signal the end of mochi evolution, pineapple toasted coconut. OMG. My freezer can’t hold enough of this mana from heaven. With sales reaching 400-500 pieces a day, Bubbies mochi ice cream also makes an excellent gift for which you will be long admired. A box of 36 (six flavor picks) packed in dry ice can be shipped to the mainland for $59. Or, you can bring some to any of the seemingly countless number of Bon dances happening in town over the next three months. Get it on, bang a gong, eat your mochi. As the sign hanging on the back wall of Bubbies notes, ‘Forget The Heat. Eat More Ice Cream.’ That’s sound advice in my book.